The present invention relates to a needle free valve device or adapter for use with fluid flow and administration structures for medical purposes.
In another aspect the present invention relates to the multi-purpose needle free valve device which is adaptable to multiple medical use requirements, said adapter being suitable for insertion into IV ports, medicine bottles or vials and IV luer lock connectors. In still another aspect, the invention relates to a method of obtaining fluid medicines from medical vials and delivering said medicines to, for example, IV ports, through use of needle free transfer systems having the adapter valve device in place.
Over the years a wide variety of devices and methods have been developed to assist the health care practitioner in delivering medications as well as the taking of body fluids. In more recent times, a wide variety of devices and methods have been developed to not only assist the health care practitioner but to protect the health care practitioner as well as patients from needle sticks. However the need remains for adapter valve devices for use in fluid flow and the transfer of fluids from medicinal containers to IV ports and other administrative structures for medical purposes.
Aside from the hazards of needle sticks both to the health care practitioner and the patient from normal needle syringe transfer means from medicinal vials to, for example, IV ports, is the common problem of known valves utilized in administrative structures for medical purposes of reversal of fluid flow or liquid flow through tubing due to back pressure or leakage of the valve when mounted and utilized with a medicinal container such as a bottle or vial. The needle free valve device for medical fluid transfer can accomplish these multiple purpose health care procedures which will enable health care professionals especially trained in performing patient care to obtain the necessary quantity of medicinal volumes in an uncontaminated state from a manufacturer's container and transferring said quantity of medicinal fluid to an IV port without the use of needles or the hazard or danger of leakage of the device valve in either direction, i.e. leakage of the fluid from the IV due to back pressure or leakage of medicinal fluid from the vial or bottle.
The valve adapter device is a multiple purpose adapter having a valve means positioned in the closed position by spring means, however, said spring means being overridden by insertion of a needleless syringe tip against the valve, overcoming the spring load thus opening the valve. The valve device can be used to push IV medicinal fluids into the IV system, fit into medicinal bottles or vials to act as a channel between the medicinal bottle and needleless syringe for obtaining the medicinal fluids from the bottle as well as utility in place of, for example, a heparin lock. The needle free valve device can be opened and closed to inject medicinal fluids or withdrawal of body fluids. The valve device has different advantages in order to accommodate various uses either in supplier medicinal containers and/or hospital settings. The valve device adapters eliminate needle usage while drawing medications and while injecting medications through an IV port.
Accordingly, since it is a common practice to utilize needle syringe devices to extract medicinal fluids from bottles or vials in order to transfer said medicinal fluids to an IV port and injection therein, said systems remain silent with respect to a needle free valve device accomplishing the same objectives of fluid transfer. There remains a continuing need to provide such a needle free valve device and methodology which not only benefits the heath care practitioner but the overall health care environment inclusive of contaminated needle devices, thus avoiding risk of infection to both patient and health care practitioner.